Rugby photography at night time?

dinneenp · 30-11-2011 11:44AM #1

Hi,
For night time rugby photography (Connacht rugby club, 7:30pm) should I approach it any differently that daylight rugby photography?

I have a 70-200 f2.8 lens, a 30mm f1.4 and a 17-50 f2.8 lens.
I'd use the sports lens mostly.
Maybe the 1.4 lens if the play is really close to me? Or that might be awkward, trying to change lenses adn I'd probably be a bit too far away to use the 1.4 lens?

Any tips etc?
Thanks in advance,
Pa.

Ballyman · 30-11-2011 12:29PM

Pa, have you ever just had a go at something instead of posting on here looking for advice? You should give it a try

Use the 70-200 and leave the rest at home.

mrboswell · 30-11-2011 12:33PM

Most of the action will be on your 70-200. The 17-50 will give you a lot more leeway as it has a zoom. I'd avoid the 30 unless you are going to use it a 2.8. If you want to capture fast action the 1.4 will be too shallow a depth of field.

You will have to ramp up the iso though as the lights are not great.

Good luck!

PCPhoto · 30-11-2011 12:35PM

for rugby with a 70-200mm ...I would suggest try cover the lineouts .... or just sit in a corner and wait until some action is near you.

no point in even bringing the other lenses unless you intend taking pics after the game and can get close enough.

As for rugby in General ...I'd suggest a minimum of 300mm f2.8, I use my 600mm f4 if/when I cover rugby to get close to the tackles and get right in there.

(Most of the action happens in the middle of the park - running/tackling/scrums/lineouts/kicking at goal - with the occasional bit close to the try-line .... its really a lot of luck involved - hoping that any bit of action is facing you)

Best of luck with it.

dinneenp · 30-11-2011 01:06PM

Ballyman wrote: »

Pa, have you ever just had a go at something instead of posting on here looking for advice? You should give it a try

Use the 70-200 and leave the rest at home.

Suprisingly, I have.

I haven't had the opportunity to go to many 'big' (sporting) events and I enjoy photography but I'm not as experienced or knowlegable as many people here.

So when I get the chance to shoot at a 'big' event (Ireland football, college Martial Arts Fight Night, Connacht rugby and geting an offical photographers pass) I'd prefer to get some tips from people who know/have been there before (best area to stand, settings to use- spot metering for night probably etc). Rather than doing it 'blind' and not optimising my photographic opportunity.

If I end up with photos that I'm not happy with it should be because of me, not because I made a basic/novice error that I could have known beforehand.

I like to think that I contribute a fair bit towards this forum (including organised a few photowalks) so feel nothing wrong with asking for help to learn.

Ballyman · 30-11-2011 01:49PM

I wasn't taking the mick.

The game will be on for about 1.5 hours so if you are to do what you are told here and sit on the endline, just use f2.8 and high ISO then you are going to get very bored very quickly. Would you not be better off on the sideline messing around with settings off your own bat and experimenting like panning, crowd shots etc. than sitting behind the endline where a 70-200 is too short anyway and the lights in galway are like being in a cave.

Buceph · 30-11-2011 05:16PM

I'll post my question here since it's related to Dineenp's.

For rugby (or similar) should I be looking for a 70-200mm (or straight 200mm) f2.8? Which I can find second hand fairly easily presuming this one would work. Or should I be searching and waiting for longer and try and find a reasonable 300mm f4? All considering I'd have about €500 +-15% and I'm years away from getting a Full Frame sensor, and would be using the Nikon's 1.5x crop bodies.

Paulw · 30-11-2011 05:56PM

I use a 300mm f/2.8 all the time and it does me just fine.

A 70-200mm is use when they get in close.

For a pitch where I'm a bit away from the endzone, I add a 1.4x TC to the 300mm lens (giving 420 f/4).

Light, camera and lens will determine if you can get away with f/4 or not. Under poor lights, you need a very high ISO and will generally require f/2.8. Under better lights or with a good high performance ISO body, you can get away with f/4.

If you shoot during daylight, then f/4 should be fine.

That's from my experience shooting rugby.

PCPhoto · 01-12-2011 12:09PM

Buceph wrote: »

I'll post my question here since it's related to Dineenp's.

For rugby (or similar) should I be looking for a 70-200mm (or straight 200mm) f2.8? Which I can find second hand fairly easily presuming this one would work. Or should I be searching and waiting for longer and try and find a reasonable 300mm f4? All considering I'd have about €500 +-15% and I'm years away from getting a Full Frame sensor, and would be using the Nikon's 1.5x crop bodies.

the longer the lens the closer you are to the action, the 70-200mm f2.8 lens is an industry standard for press photographers, however most sport photographers will say start with a 300mm f2.8 - its all relative to how close you are to the action.

if you intend shooting anything at night I would say get the 70-200mm but if you are intent on shooting daytime only wait and try get the 300mm, its a good stepping stone/starter lens (I still have the first one that I purchased - it was my first "pro" lens)

you could always look out for a cheap secondhand "pro" lens - it might look battered but these are designed to keep shooting for years and years.

Buceph · 01-12-2011 01:10PM

PCPhoto wrote: »

the longer the lens the closer you are to the action, the 70-200mm f2.8 lens is an industry standard for press photographers, however most sport photographers will say start with a 300mm f2.8 - its all relative to how close you are to the action.

if you intend shooting anything at night I would say get the 70-200mm but if you are intent on shooting daytime only wait and try get the 300mm, its a good stepping stone/starter lens (I still have the first one that I purchased - it was my first "pro" lens)

you could always look out for a cheap secondhand "pro" lens - it might look battered but these are designed to keep shooting for years and years.

I wouldn't imagine doing much at night, seeing as I'll be picking and choosing what I shoot and have no real requirements. Seeing as you say go for the 300mm f4 in that case, how about the best of both worlds and I get the 70-200mm f2.8 and a 1.4x TC that bump it to a 280mm f4 (which would be a 420mm on a 1.5x crop body.) Or would you still go for the straight 300mm f4?

PCPhoto · 01-12-2011 02:11PM

teleconverters are generally a thing I would advise to avoid.... they cause the focus to slow down as well as the loss of 1 or 2 stops of light (depending on the teleconverter)

if you had a choice I would suggest 300mm f4, but if you want a lens that will be useful for other things (like portraits) I would suggest getting the 70-200mm ..... Are you intent on building a sport portfolio ?

Buceph · 01-12-2011 07:53PM

PCPhoto wrote: »

teleconverters are generally a thing I would advise to avoid.... they cause the focus to slow down as well as the loss of 1 or 2 stops of light (depending on the teleconverter)

if you had a choice I would suggest 300mm f4, but if you want a lens that will be useful for other things (like portraits) I would suggest getting the 70-200mm ..... Are you intent on building a sport portfolio ?

That's the thing, I'm in two minds completely about this. The 70-200mm is more useful in general, and it's cheaper. The 300mm was something I had put out of my mind completely, as I never thought I'd be able to afford one. I just thought sports photography (and rugby) was simply something I just wouldn't get to do for the foreseeable future. But then deciding I'd be able to get the 70-200 has coaxed me into considering the 300mm.

I'm unsure. It's definitely one or the other, I can't afford both. The 70-200mm is more practical and the logical thing to pick to develop my photography. The 300mm sounds like more fun.

Paulw · 01-12-2011 08:37PM

Start with the 70-200mm f/2.8. Once you get used to that, you'll see how limiting it is with reach and then you'll go for the 300mm lens.

Paulw · 03-12-2011 03:50PM

dinneenp wrote: »

For night time rugby photography (Connacht rugby club, 7:30pm) should I approach it any differently that daylight rugby photography?

How did you get on last night? Any images to post?

twowheelsonly · 09-12-2011 07:15PM

@Buceph...I use an 80-200 2.8 for all my sports shots - Usually soccer and road races. I find it fine for what I want - complete amateur!! - but it's a great lens, not too far removed from the 70-200. Much cheaper though and would give you an idea of what you want and time to save for a 300. I think I paid €700 for it 2nd hand in Conns after my previous one was stolen.

A guy in Ballinascarthy had a 70-200 for sale on Done deal recently BTW, I bought his 17-55 2.8 off him.

The pics in this collection were all taken with the 80-200 iirc.. Just to give you an idea of the range of 200mm ..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39020932@N05/collections/72157626410034193/

dinneenp · 09-12-2011 11:15PM

Paulw wrote: »

How did you get on last night? Any images to post?

...didn't make it in the end. Got stuck at work :mad:

PCPhoto · 10-12-2011 09:10AM

at some clubs/grounds that means you might not get a pass next time.

Rugby is one of the few sports that take photographic press accreditations seriously.

11-12-2011 03:44PM

How did you manage to get sorted with getting in in the first place Dinneenp?

dinneenp · 12-12-2011 03:16PM

Deleted User wrote: »

How did you manage to get sorted with getting in in the first place Dinneenp?

I'm involved in a photogrpahy club. I approached and asked last season could we take photos at some game and they said yes.

This season they're a lot busier so said no to our club but that I could. Next Feb is the next available date and I've requested for that game.

Heineken Cup or Inter pro games.

cheers,
pa.

kensutz · 25-12-2011 12:38PM

Heineken Cup games will be tougher to cover because it's done on a tiered basis. Agencies get first preference and I think Harlequins are the only team left to come to Galway so there will be high interest from UK agencies. Even for the Gloucester game there were quite a few of us covering for the UK and spaces were restricted.

Rugby photography at night time?

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